A Still Painting of Life
by Calie1
Summary: Sequel to A Moment in Time. This takes place over three years since that story and also about three years since Harry graduates. Everyone is now at war and Ginny comes across someone she hasn't seen in a long time.


Title: A Still Painting of Life 1?

Author: Calie

Rating: PG-13 or T

Summary: Sequel to A Moment in Time. This takes place over three years since that story and also about three years since Harry graduates. Everyone is now at war and Ginny comes across someone she hasn't seen in a long time.

"Alright everyone, you have your assignments, move out." They're was quite mumbling and the sound of scrapping chairs and the wizards and witches emptied out of the room.

"Oi, Harry. Is it only the boy who lived who gets to be late for a briefing?" Fred nudged him and was seconded by George.

"I was detained." Harry looked over to Hermione and Ron who had also had been privileged to what was going on along with only Neville Longbotton.

"Oh, a secret then? A secret between friends? Well tell us old chum." George flung an arm over Harry's shoulder and ruffled his hair with his other hand.

"Oh yes, tell us." Fred picked an imaginary piece of lint from Harry's cloak and smoothed it over.

"Stop it!" The commanding voice came from none other than Hermione Granger. She stood in front of them, hands on hips, and glaring. "Harry has enough to deal with without the two of you pestering him."

The twins jumped back from Harry and made a dramatic show of being scared by hiding behind him.

"But it's odd," said a voice from behind the group. Ginny walked forward and eyed Hermione, Harry, and Ron suspiciously. "Suddenly we get called in and get issued a new attack plan only days before the raid takes place."

"Oh our Ginnikins is a smart cookie." Fred patted her head and wasn't even fazed when she batted his hand away.

"A sugar cookie, with sprinkles. Could it be new information?" George raised his eyebrows in question and when Harry didn't respond he turned to Ron. "Or an informant Ronnie?" No one spoke but George expected as much. With a wink to the group he took off with Fred laughing and following behind them.

"Merlin those two are more trouble than they're worth." Ron spoke angrily through his teeth, unaware that his face had been telling the tale when a red flush had crept across his cheeks at the questions from the twins.

Ginny narrowed her eyes at Ron and studied him carefully, knowing that his anger wasn't just because the twins were pestering them, but because they probably had nailed it right on the head. The three of them did know something new and weren't about to share it with anyone else. "Don't be upset because they're smarter than you are." She ignored Ron as he puffed up is chest and looked like he was about to explode. Instead she turned to Harry, who was just as easy to read only because of the guilty look he always had when hiding something. "So I would assume you wouldn't be able to tell us then?" As expected Harry's usually strong eyes broke under her glare and looked away." Ginny only glanced at Hermione who as usual showed no signs of buckling under the pressure. "How typical." Knowing it would be a waste of breath to continue, she turned from them and left.

VVVV

Ginny leaned her forehead against the cool window and watched as the brooms and their occupants took off and eventually became invisible in the sky. That spell had been discovered by Hermione and had probably saved hundreds of lives.

This had turned into one mission that Ginny was left out of. It wasn't that she minded since she had been on a few raids herself and had even been fortunate enough to live through two attacks. One of which had happened during a routine raid that had turned out to be a trap, luckily Ginny made it out alive, some didn't. The first for her, and the first for many had been right before Harry, Ron, and Hermione had graduated. No one was quite sure why it took place at Hogwart's considering it was one of the best protected places in the world. Perhaps Voldermort wanted one last try before Harry graduated to a full fledged wizard and was allowed to hunt down Voldermort to his hearts desire. That was Ginny's opinion at least. She liked to believe Voldermort feared Harry and wanted to take one last shot at him before he had to gather up his forces and defend himself against the great Harry Potter. The attack had failed perhaps in Voldermort's cold hearted eyes but to others it hadn't. Students had been murdered at Hogwart's and everyone wanted someone to blame. Finally people began to place that blame on Voldermort after years of denying that he was alive. After the attack on Hogwart's the ministry saw an increase in the application of wizards and witches to become aurors. Suspected death eaters were brought in and questioned. Many of their homes raided and most of them jailed. It still wasn't enough though. With wizarding world began fighting back, but by that point Voldermort was no longer hiding himself met them openly. Half-bloods were murdered, wizards and witches killed in routine raids, and then finally the wizarding world was at war, with Harry Potter and Voldermort right in the middle.

Neither the twins nor any of Ginny's other brothers had been assigned to the most recent raid. The twins had tried to convince her to tag along with them when they decided they would invite themselves anyway. Curiosity almost made her agree but in the end she said no. Then she locked the twins in her room with the aid of another witch who she bunked with. It wasn't that she feared them getting in trouble, it was that she feared for their lives. The twins were reckless and got way to excited about going on raids. They thought of it as an adventure, Ginny just felt it was another chance to die.

What had made her even more suspicious was who had been assigned to the raid. The only people that Ginny was familiar with that had been sent were Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville. It had also seemed odd for Hermione to accompany them. Although Hermione had the brains to fight, fighting wasn't in her. Instead she had been made more useful in the area of breaking spells and discovering new ones. She was held in good esteem with those who did the fighting because of her contributions. The only time Hermione went along though was when they knew her expertise would be needed.

When the last person had finally disappeared Ginny turned from the window and to the door of her bunk. For a moment she considered letting the twins go, but she feared that still somehow they would be able to figure out where the others went and follow the raiding party. Instead she decided to leave them in there for as long as the others were gone. After a few moments of casting a couple of other spells to reassure herself that they were locked up in there good and tight, she walked out of the main living area and went on her way to roam the castle.

VVVV

One of the first discussions to take place when the war started was where to house the wizards and witches that would be fighting. Hogwart's and been the obvious answer. It was large and protected, yet many argued that it had been breached once so why could it not again. In Ginny's opinion it was too large, plus she had no wish of seeing the great castle taken during the war. It was a school, and she had wanted it always to remain that way. For many reasons it was eventually decided against and instead the ministry chose the headquarters to be Old Graystone Castle. The name described what it was. It was old and gray. There was no life to the castle and in Ginny's opinion down right depressing. Yet she comforted herself by remember that her old school was safe. It was a large castle but in no way like Hogwarts. What really had made it the best choice was the simplicity of it. It didn't have magical secrets like all other castles held. The reason being was that the person who had built it was a wealthy squib hundreds of years ago. That made it easier to protect when you didn't have to worry if there were over fifty entrances you had no idea were there. So she could deal with the drabness if only because it kept her alive.

It was late and only a few others roamed the halls. Some of which Ginny was familiar with, and she nodded her head in recognition, but there were always some she didn't recognize or had never spoken to. Glumly she thought as she did many times that chances are she might not see any of those faces again, and even more disturbing that they may be thinking the same thing about her. Ginny sighed deeply in an attempt to wipe such thoughts from her mind and continued on her way, glancing every so often at the odd paintings that didn't move. Sometimes she believed they would suddenly jump out at her and talk to her, proving her wrong, but they remained in the same pose as always, still as death.

Like everyone else she moved silently through the halls, she though, unlike most of them, was doing it out of pure boredom. She had some hopes of finding someone she knew well enough to carry on a conversation, anything to keep her occupied. Whenever there was to be a raid a depressing atmosphere settled over those in the castle. Everyone was on edge, worried if it would be a friend, a loved one, or even a child or parent that would be lost to them. If people weren't worried about others they were wondering if it would be themselves next. At least that was Ginny's line of thinking whenever she stayed behind. She would always go in search of something to occupy her time and her mind.

Ginny's first order of business was to the kitchens. She had become so busy detaining Fred and George that she had missed dinner. Right before she turned the last corner on the way to the kitchen she began to hear voices. They were hushed and slightly excited and unconsciously Ginny found slowing then eventually stopping at the corner, out of sight of who was right around it.

"You shouldn't be out right now, you've had a long day. I can get someone to bring you up some food if you'd like."

"I can take care of myself thank you very much."

The woman's sharp voice made Ginny cringe. Vaguely she realized that the woman's voice didn't sound familiar although the first speakers, a man, did.

"You don't have to hide yourself from me. I know exactly what's going on. You don't have to go through this alone."

Finally Ginny was able to place the slightly comforting voice, although it did hold some hardness. It was Professor Snape. Ginny had to resist the urge to glance around the corner and see who it was that was making him at least attempt to be kind.

"You don't know what's going on at all."

For a moment Ginny swore she heard the women's voice shake but when she spoke again it seemed she had recovered.

"You have no idea what I'm going through knowing he's out there suffering because of me. To know that the only person I ever loved is in pain because of me."

Ginny didn't hear the angry tone of the voice, instead she heard what was behind the words. Whoever this woman was she was hurting.

"What if I never see him again?"

There was a feeling of loss in her voice that Ginny had heard in many others. No one ever got used to the sound of it though.

"Narcissa there is nothing you can do now."

Shock at the women's name was all Ginny was aware of. Slowly she backed up down the hall and once sure she was a safe distance she turned and hurried away.

VVVV

Note: Short I know, but I felt that there was a good spot to end this chapter. This is more like an introduction to let you know what's going on with everyone and to start the story. I want to thank everyone who reviewed A Moment in Time although it was only a few. That helped me to get this meager chapter out. Please review.


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